Grendel, the monster spawned in the slime of a marshy hell, growled in pain at the joyous relevries within Heorot. The more the music played, the more impatient he became to put it to an end. He chose night, the time for evil acts, and went up to Heorot after a long evening of feating and drinking, snatching thirty men, trailing their blood behind him as he ran out.

The next morning, Hrothgar,the King, sat dumbfounded with grief, and fearful that this was the beginning of something horrifying. He was correct. Grendel returned, so determined to murder that his desire for blood would never be satisfied. Night after night he came and killed, and for twelve winters, Heorot stood empty and deserted as Grendel's terror reigned.